Eicke established the first concentration camp at Dachau, near Munich, in 1933 and went on to become the first inspector of concentration camps. Dachau was the Nazi's first first camp, designed to hold political prisoners following Heinrich Himmler's orders.

Eicke developed Dachau's facilities and protocols and these became the template for the later camps, as such he was the architect of the concentration camp system. He was known for both his brutal regime - particularly harsh on the 'enemies of the state' - as well as being chummy with his guards.

Eicke was Rudolf Höss's first Kommandant, he said Eicke 'could do only with hard, determined men who obeyed all orders regardless of
personal feelings'.

Theodor Eicke (right) with Robert Ley 1936 during inspection of Dachau